Nitrous oxide emission in three years as affected by tillage, corn-soybean-alfalfa rotations, and nitrogen fertilization

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 698 - 703
• Main Authors: MacKenzie, A.F. (Macdonald Campus of McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada.), Fan, M.X, Cadrin, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America 01.05.1998; Crop Science Society of America; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: ABONOS NITROGENADOS; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; AIR POLLUTION; APPLICATION RATES; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Biological and medical sciences; CONTAMINANTES; CROPPING SYSTEMS; Dispersed sources and other; DOSE D'APPLICATION; DOSIS DE APLICACION; ENGRAIS AZOTE; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GLYCINE MAX; MEDICAGO SATIVA; NITROGEN FERTILIZERS; NITROUS OXIDE; OXIDO NITROSO; OXYDE NITREUX; POLLUANT; POLLUTANTS; Pollution; POLLUTION ATMOSPHERIQUE; Pollution sources. Measurement results; POLUCION DEL AIRE; SISTEMAS DE CULTIVO; Soil and water pollution; Soil science; SYSTEME DE CULTURE; ZEA MAYS; Nitrogen fertilization; Monocotyledones; Gas emission; Soil tillage; Zea mays; Pollution control; Medicago sativa; Glycine max; Cereal crop; Grain legume; Leguminosae; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Crop rotation; Angiospermae; Air pollution; Spermatophyta; Fodder crop; Nitrogen protoxide
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq1998.00472425002700030029x

Nitrous oxide (N2O) produced from agricultural activities must be determined if management procedures to reduce emissions are to be established. From 1994 to 1996, N2O emissions were determined using a closed chamber technique. Continuous corn (Zea mays L.) at four N rates of 0, 170, 285, and 400 kg of N ha-1 was used on a Ste. Rosalie heavy clay (a very-fine-silty, mixed, nonacid, frigid Typic Humaquept) and a Chicot sandy loam (a fine-loamy, frigid, Typic Hapludalf). On two additional sites, a Ste. Rosalie clay and an Ormstown silty clay loam (a fine-silty, mixed, nonacid, frigid Humaquept) no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT); monocultural corn (CCC), monocultural soybean (Glycine max L.) (SSS); corn-soybean (SSC, CCS); and soybean-corn-alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) phased rotations (SAC, CSA, and ACS) were used. Nitrogen rates of 0, 90, and 180 kg of N ha-1 for corn and 0, 20, and 40 kg of N ha-1 for SSS were used. Rates of N2P emission were measured from April to November in 1994 and 1995, and from mid-March to mid-November in 1996. Maximum N2O emissions reached from 120 to 450 ng of N m-2 s-1 at the Ormstown site to 50 to 240 ng of N m-2 s-1 at the Ste. Rosalie soil. Generally, N2O emissions were higher in the NT systems, with corn, and increased linearly with increasing N rates, and amounted to 1.0 to 1.6% of fertilizer N applied. The N2O emission rates were significantly related to soil denitrification rates, water-filled pore space, and soil NH4 and NO3 concentrations. A corn system using conventional tillage, legumes in rotation, and reduced N fertilizer would decrease N2O emission from agricultural fields